Fly Fishing Literature
Enabled by the Flyfisher Foundation
Photo courtesy of David Lambroughton.
Fishing Roderick Haig-Brown’s legendary waters
C. Edwin Francis Collection
Dive into the rich history, knowledge, and stories that define the art of fly fishing through the Flyfisher Foundation’s exclusive literature collection. Our curated selection of books, periodicals, and rare works preserves the traditions and innovations of the sport, offering members a unique resource for learning, inspiration, and connection to the fly fishing community.
Our collection, known as the C. Edwin Francis Collection, are under series titles in our online catalog “Fly Fishing Collection (Multnomah County Library)”. There are currently over 300 entries in the collection.
Notable Collection Acquisitions
Trout, by Ray Bergman; fly plates in full color painted by Dr. Edgar Burke, photography of fly tying by Charles S. Krug; limited signed edition; Philadelphia: The Penn Publishing Company, 1938..
Visit the Collection
Everyone is welcome to visit this collection. The archives need advance notice as they are located in a secure location in the building. Everyone who uses the collection must register at the library’s Periodical Desk with a photo ID. Check the library’s hours before you plan your visit.
Additional Resources
The Flyline is a periodical newsletter published by the Flyfishers’ Club of Oregon. It captures the history and happenings of the organization.
The Creel
The Flyfishers’ Club of Oregon (FCO) was established in 1961 to promote and preserve the art, science, and history of the sport of fly fishing in Oregon. A key FCO purpose was “to publish semi-annually a publication to be known as The Creel recording the angling accomplishments, adventures and speculations of the members and other fly fishing devotees.” To that end, The Creel was published 21 times until 1982. Since then, the Club’s monthly newsletter, The Flyline, has continued to showcase member’s literary contributions. Over the past thirty years the Club has celebrated its decadal anniversaries with various editions of its publication, including the McKenzie Creel and the North Umpqua Creel.
The FCO marked its 60th anniversary by compiling a “best of” Club literary output with the 60th Anniversary Creel. The book is a retrospective angling anthology derived from sixty years of Club publications, featuring the history, art, and craft of fly fishing, and the deeply personal connection to special waters in Oregon and elsewhere. It also recalls prominent Club members and other fly fishing luminaries, whose memories should be cherished and preserved.
Read "The Creel: McKenzie River"
Links below will open portions of The Creel in pdf format in a new browser tab.